Miyetti Allah officials disagree over Katsina governor

Leaders of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore in Kastina State have distanced themselves from a comment by the National Secretary of the association, Saleh Alhassan, describing Governor Aminu Masari as a ‘drunkard’.

Mr Alhassan had called Mr Masari “a drunkard and a tired leader for saying majority of those perpetrating in banditry are Fulanis”.

“They are the same people like me, who speak the same language like me, who profess the same religious beliefs like me,” the governor had said in an interview with Channels Television. “So, what we have here on ground are bandits; they are not aliens, they are people we know, they are people that have been living with us for 100 of years.”

The remarks drew strong rebuke from the national scribe of the Fulani cattle herders’ group.

But at a press briefing Friday afternoon in Katsina, Hassan Kuraye, chairman of the association in the state, said Mr Alhassan “was on his own and didn’t seek for clearance before the interview”.

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“We have spoken with the national executive members and they said Saleh Alhassan did not reflect the true stand of the association on the issue,” the local leader of the group in Katsina said.

While describing the utterances of the scribe as uncalled for and embarrassing to the entire Fulani race, Mr Kuraye tendered an apology on behalf of the group to Mr Masari and urged him to forgive and forget the unpalatable comments by the official.

He also said the national president would lead members of the group’s executive committee to Katsina next week to speak with the governor on the matter.